Thunder Sign Steven Adams To Extension
11:13pm: The Thunder have formally announced their new deal with Adams, issuing a press release confirming the news.
3:49pm: Adams and OKC are in the process of finalizing a four-year, $100MM extension, Wojnarowski tweets.
1:55pm: The Thunder and center Steven Adams are making “significant progress” in discussions on a potential contract extension, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. According to Wojnarowski, the two sides are working toward a possible four-year, $100MM deal.
Adams is one of many 2013 first-round picks who remains eligible for a rookie-scale extension until the end of Monday. Teams have until midnight eastern time to lock up extension-eligible players to new deals — if the two sides can’t agree to terms, those players will remain on track for restricted free agency in the summer of 2017.
Adams, 23, averaged a modest 8.0 PPG to go along with 6.7 RPG, 1.1 BPG, and a .613 FG% during the 2015/16 season. Those numbers aren’t eye-popping, and his career .551 FT% is a cause for some concern. However, Adams’ showing in the postseason provided a better picture of his importance to the Thunder.
In 18 playoff games, the New Zealand native saw his minutes per game increase from 25.2 to 30.7, and he nearly averaged a double-double in those contests, with 10.1 PPG and 9.5 RPG. In the team’s first three games this season, Adams has notched 13.0 PPG and 9.0 RPG in an expanded role.
When I explored Adams’ extension candidacy back in August, I suggested the Thunder might want to wait until next summer in order to maximize their potential cap room. Signing Adams to a new deal now would mean his salary would hit the team’s 2017/18 books immediately after the July moratorium ends next summer. By waiting to extend him, Oklahoma City would initially carry a smaller cap hold, allowing the club a little more flexibility to pursue free agents or trade targets.
Still, waiting until next July to lock up Adams would almost certainly mean giving him a max deal, since there’d likely be other suitors ready to make such an offer. A four-year, $100MM pact would come in a little below the max based on current cap projections, which could motivate the Thunder to work something out sooner rather than later. Giannis Antetokounmpo signed a four-year, $100MM rookie-scale extension with the Bucks earlier this year.
In addition to Adams, Victor Oladipo and Andre Roberson are also eligible for extensions for the Thunder.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Thunder Sign Victor Oladipo To Extension
11:12pm: The Thunder have officially signed Oladipo to an extension, the team announced today in a press release.
2:52pm: The Thunder have agreed to a four-year extension with Victor Oladipo in advance of tonight’s deadline, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical. Oladipo’s new deal, which will go into effect in 2017/18, is expected to be worth $84MM, per Charania.
[RELATED: Thunder, Steven Adams making significant progress in extension talks]
A former second overall pick out of Indiana, Oladipo was part of the trade that sent to Serge Ibaka to Orlando in June, heading to Oklahoma City in the deal along with Domantas Sabonis and Ersan Ilyasova. Reports in the summer suggested that Oladipo might be seeking a maximum-salary contract, but the Thunder were able to lock him up at a lower rate, ensuring that he’ll stay off the free agent market next summer.
Oladipo, 24, was one of the primary scorers for the Magic during his three years with the team, averaging 15.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.0 APG, and 1.6 SPG in 224 regular-season contests. In his first three games with the Thunder, he has averaged 17.0 PPG on a FG% of just .340, though that’s obviously a very small sample size.
The Thunder completed their acquisition of Oladipo before Kevin Durant finalized his decision to leave Oklahoma City for Golden State, and the team had viewed the former Magic guard as a nice fit alongside Durant. However, the club remains optimistic about its backcourt duo of Oladipo and Russell Westbrook, who each provide plenty of tenacity and energy on both sides of the ball. Westbook received an extension from the Thunder this offseason as well, so the two standout guards will be given every opportunity to thrive together for the next couple years.
With Oladipo secured, the Thunder can shift their focus today to Steven Adams and Andre Roberson, who are also eligible to sign rookie-scale extension before the deadline of midnight eastern time. As we learned earlier today, OKC is in talks with Adams on a potential four-year, $100MM extension, and there’s growing optimism that the two sides can hammer out a deal. The team is also engaged in negotiations with Roberson, per Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
Teams can be reluctant to lock up their potential restricted free agents to big-money extensions ahead of free agency, since keeping a modestly-priced cap hold on their books for a week or two the following July can give them additional flexibility to use cap room in free agency. However, as a former No. 2 overall pick, Oladipo would have had a large cap hold next summer as a restricted free agent, so his deal shouldn’t hinder OKC’s flexibility significantly.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hornets, Cody Zeller Agree To Extension
10:54pm: The signing is official, the team announced. “Maintaining and building our young core of players has been a key goal for us the last few years,” GM Rich Cho said. “We’re excited that Cody will be part of the Hornets organization for years to come. Cody is a hard worker, a team-first player and a versatile talent that was a large part of our success last year. He has improved in each of his three seasons in the NBA. We look forward to a bright future with Cody as a part of the roster that we are continuing to build.”
9:30pm: The Hornets have agreed to a contract extension with Cody Zeller, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports (on Twitter). It will be a four-year, $56MM arrangement per the scribe. The pact doesn’t include any options, according to Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
The extension is a solid value for Charlotte, according to Bobby Marks of The Vertical (via Twitter), who notes that the first year salary on the deal is below his free agent cap hold and it won’t push the Hornets over the luxury tax line in 2017/18. Zeller is earning $5,318,313 this season.
The 24-year-old was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft out of Indiana. His career numbers through 220 regular season contests are 7.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists to accompany a shooting line of .476/.167/.750.
Zeller becomes the eighth player from the 2013 NBA Draft to agree to an extension, joining C.J. McCollum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Gorgui Dieng, Dennis Schroder, Steven Adams, Victor Oladipo and Rudy Gobert.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 10/31/16
Here are the D-League assignments and recalls for the day:
- The Rockets are the first team to send a player to their D-League affiliate this season, with the team announcing (via Twitter) that Chinanu Onuaku will be joining the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The power forward has yet to see the court during the regular season for Houston.
Wolves Agree To Extension With Gorgui Dieng
The Timberwolves and Gorgui Dieng are in the process of finalizing a contract extension, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports (via Twitter). The deal will be for four years and is valued at $64MM, per the scribe. No word yet on whether or not the arrangement includes any options, player or team. His new deal with an average annual value of $16MM is certainly a hefty bump from the $2,348,783 he is earning this season.
The 26-year-old is off to a solid start to the 2016/17 campaign under new head coach Tom Thibodeau. Dieng is averaging 13.0 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks in 34.5 minutes through the team’s first two games.
Originally selected with the No. 21 overall pick in 2013, Dieng’s career numbers are 8.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 blocks to accompany a shooting line of .516/.276/.780.
Dieng becomes the seventh player from the 2013 NBA Draft to agree to an extension, joining C.J. McCollum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dennis Schroder, Steven Adams, Victor Oladipo and Rudy Gobert.
The Wolves have another extension candidate on their roster in Shabazz Muhammad, but the latest report on the fourth-year guard suggests that he and the team are “far apart” in negotiations.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Celtics To Decline James Young’s 2017/18 Option
After exercising their 2017/18 team options on Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier, the Celtics won’t pick up their option on James Young, reports Bobby Marks of The Vertical (via Twitter). The move will put Young on track to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2017.
[RELATED: Decisions On 2017/18 Rookie-Scale Team Options]
Young, 21, has played sparingly for the Celtics since being selected with the No. 17 pick in the 2014 draft. The Kentucky product has averaged just 8.9 minutes per game in 60 total regular-season appearances, putting up 2.2 PPG and 1.1 RPG in those games. Still, Boston saw enough promise to keep him on its 15-man roster heading into this season, parting ways with 2015 first-rounder R.J. Hunter in order to make room for Young.
By turning down Young’s 2017/18 option, the Celtics will no longer be on the hook for a $2.804MM salary for him next year.
Hawks Sign Ryan Kelly, Waive Edy Tavares
1:39pm: The Hawks have announced both Kelly’s signing and Tavares’ release in a pair of press releases, making the moves official.
12:02pm: The Hawks will become the first team to make a change to their 15-man, regular-season roster. Less than a week into the season, Atlanta is releasing center Edy Tavares and intends to sign Ryan Kelly to fill the open roster spots, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter).
The 43rd overall pick in the 2014 draft, Tavares joined the Hawks last season, appearing in just 11 games and averaging 6.6 minutes per contest. The 24-year-old Cape Verde native also made 29 D-League appearances, averaging 9.2 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 3.3 BPG in 21.6 minutes per game. While Tavares is viewed as a raw prospect with potential, the Hawks have apparently decided his roster spot can be better used on a more seasoned player.
Kelly, 25, was waived by the Hawks earlier this month, having previously spent his first three seasons in the NBA as a member of the Lakers. After averaging 22.9 minutes per contest during his first two years in Los Angeles, Kelly saw his playing time reduced last season, as he played just 13.1 MPG in 36 contests. He averaged 4.2 PPG and 3.4 RPG in those games, shooting just 36.9% from the floor, 13.5% from beyond the arc, and 68.5% from the line.
Kelly signed with the Celtics after being cut by the Hawks, though he was quickly waived by Boston as well, so it looked like the C’s wanted to gain his D-League rights. Rather than heading to the D-League though, Kelly is on his way back to an NBA roster, and figures to sign a minimum-salary deal with the Hawks.
As for Tavares, his $1MM salary for 2016/17 was fully guaranteed, so the Hawks will have to pay it unless he’s claimed on waivers later this week. The club won’t be on the hook for his 2017/18 salary worth $1.015MM, since it was non-guaranteed.
The Bulls claimed R.J. Hunter off waivers last week after the regular season had gotten underway, but Chicago had an opening on its roster, so no corresponding move was necessary. As such, the Hawks will become the first team in 2016/17 to actually replace one player with another on their regular-season roster.
Celtics Exercise Marcus Smart’s 2017/18 Option
The Celtics have exercised their 2017/18 team options on Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. The team’s decision on Rozier had been previously reported, while there was never a question that Smart’s option would be picked up.
Smart, 22, continues to battle a sprained ankle and has yet to make his 2016/17 regular-season debut. In his first two seasons with the Celtics, he averaged 8.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.1 APG, and 1.5 SPG, shooting just 35.7% from the field but providing solid perimeter defense.
Smart will earn about $3.579MM this season, and his $4.538MM salary for 2017/18 will now be fully guaranteed, since the Celtics have picked up his fourth-year option. Assuming Smart remains in Boston, the C’s will have the opportunity to sign him to a rookie-scale extension next offseason. If he doesn’t sign an extension, the former OSU guard will be eligible for restricted free agency in 2018.
With the options for Smart and Rozier exercised, the Celtics still have one decision to make on James Young. The former first-rounder beat out R.J. Hunter to earn the Celtics’ final roster spot, but according to Blakely (via Twitter), he has yet to be informed one way or the other if the club is picking up his fourth-year option. If the C’s decide not to exercise Young’s option, he’ll hit unrestricted free agency in July.
Rockets To Decline Tyler Ennis’ 2017/18 Option
A week ago, the Rockets appeared to be on the verge of parting ways with Tyler Ennis, despite having just acquired him in a trade last month. Houston ultimately decided to waive Pablo Prigioni instead, keeping Ennis, but the team isn’t ready to make a multiyear commitment to the former Buck. According to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (via Twitter), the Rockets won’t exercise Ennis’ 2017/18 team option in advance of today’s deadline.
Ennis, who will earn a guaranteed $1.734MM salary in 2016/17, would have been in line for a pay increase to $2.667MM next year if Houston had exercised his option. Instead, he’ll head into the summer of 2017 as an unrestricted free agent. That doesn’t necessarily mean the 22-year-old will leave the Rockets, who could still re-sign him, but he’ll get a chance to explore the open market in July.
The 18th overall pick in the 2014 draft, Ennis started his career with the Suns before being sent to the Bucks at the 2015 trade deadline. He was moved again in September in exchange for veteran forward Michael Beasley. In 82 total career NBA games so far, Ennis has averaged just 4.0 PPG and 2.2 APG in 13.4 minutes per game, while posting a shooting line of .405/.294/.732. He scored just a single basket in three games for the Rockets during the first week of this season, though he also picked up nine assists and a pair of steals in that stretch.
As we noted earlier this morning, Ennis was one of six players still on an NBA roster whose rookie-scale option for 2017/18 had yet to be exercised. The full recap of this year’s decisions can be found right here.
Rockets Pick Up 2017/18 Option On Sam Dekker
OCTOBER 31: Houston has officially exercised its option on Dekker for 2017/18, according to RealGM’s transactions log.
OCTOBER 30: The Rockets are expected to pick up their team option on Sam Dekker for the 2017/18 season, Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com relays (ESPN NOW link). Watkins notes that the Rockets will also pick up the team option on center Clint Capela, which we relayed earlier in the week.
The option would be for Dekker’s third year and is valued at $1,794,600. Dekker played in only three games last season because of back issues and surgery. He was the 18th overall pick in the 2015 draft.
The 22-year-old small forward enjoyed a productive summer league for the Rockets. Dekker, a Wisconsin product, has appeared in both of the Rockets’ games this season. He played 13 minutes against the Mavs and 14 minutes against the Lakers. The only other rookie-scale team option decision for 2017/18 salaries for the Rockets is whether or not to pick up the fourth-year team option on Tyler Ennis.